Method for treating hydrocarbon oils



April 21, 1925- C. P. DUBBS METHOD FOR TREATTNG HYDROCARBON OILS Original Filed Dec. 21, 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 21, 1925- c. P. DUBBS METHOD FOR TREATING HYDROCARBON OILS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 21, 1917 mvvwtom Patented Apr. 21, 1925.

UNITED ,STATES- PATENT QARBON P. DUBBS, F WILMETTE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL OIL PROD- UCTSCO'MPANY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

METHOD non EATING HYDROCABIBON- OILS.

Continuation of application Serial No. 208,206, filed'necember 21, I917. This application filed October 20,

.To all wk-0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARBON P. DUBBs,-a citizen-ofthe United States, now residing in the city of Wilmette, county of Cook, and

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Treating .Hydrocarbon Oils, of which the v following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method for treating hydrocarbon oils to produce there'- apparatus andmore or :less converted tolower boiling point products; other objects of my invention are to provide a process for heating oils in coils while maintaining the oil under definitely controlled velocity and temperatures, then passing the heatedoil to an upright tank and from there intoa settling tank and then. back through the same heating coils; to provide a rocess for continuously treating petroleum or production of lower boiling point products; to provide a process for automatically condensing the heavy vapors and returning same for further treatment; -to provide a means whereby either water, in the shape of water or steam or both can be injected into the oil while undergoing treatment; to provide a processwhereby any water condensed in the reflux condenser is automaticaliy'trapped and either automatically returned to the heating coilsfor withdrawn from the system; to provide a process for holding'a higher pressure upon the oil while same is circulated-through the heating tubes and holding a lower pressure on the upright and settling tanks or oil receivingm'eans' and reflux; condenser; to provide a process for rapid circulation of oil in heating coils and relatively slowcirculation in the settling tank; to provide a means of continuously feeding raw material and continuously taking ofi' lower boiling lpoint products and also for continuously ta ing off the residuum 4 containing more or less free carbon; to provide a process to prevent the freecarbon or other solids from settling on the walls of a the heating tubes; to, provide a process whereby the forced circulation in a 0011 'of the apparatus, partly in section and 1922. Serial No. 595,743.

tinuous coil creates a pressure on the oil in excess of that maintained on the rest of the apparatus whereby the oil in said coil-can be subjected to a higher heat without being converted, to any great amount, into vapors, and said 011 1s passed into a chamber of lower pressure. The boiling point of said heated oilfis thereby lowered and more or less of samethus converted into vapors; to provide a process whereby the oil while belng heated is maintained at a relatively high velocity and. then passed in a much larger OFFICE.

stream through a settling tank and owing to this stream being much larger its velocity has been greatly reduced which willcause the excess carbon held in the oilto be precipitated out; to provide apro'cess whereby the length of time the oil being treated is subjected to heat during any one time is un der full control; to provide a process .where by the amount of heavy vapors condensed and returned for further treatment-iscontrolled; to provide a process for maintaining the" interior surface of the tubes ,ina

smooth highly polished condition by means of passing the oil through same at ahigh velocity; to provide aprocess for frequently .relieving the oil the heating. tubes of its vapor contents; to provide a process forbringing part of the residuum .to a quiescent state and allowing the free carbon orother solids toset'tle and withdrawing same and returning the settled residuum back into,

thecirculation for further treatment; to provide, in general, a process and apparatus of the character referred to.

i This application is a continuation of my In the drawings, Fig. 1 is aside elevation partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthe' apparatus; with parts -1n section.

Pending application No. 208,206, filed fDecember 21, 1917,

' Referring to the'dra'wings :A is the furnace in which the heating tubes B are posi-- tioned. A is a flue tunnel connecting'said' furnace to stack marked A". B are returnconnections .onthe ends of the-tubes B and i on these. return connections, positioned on the 1 end of each tube-are flanges which ma be readily removed and the interior ofeac of thedaubes be examined and cleaned. I

1 line from the heating coil ]3 to the tank .K K is the overflow from tank K to tank K and connected with K is line K to tank K having positioned on it valve E. K is suction line connecting pump J to tank K and connecting with suction line K is suction line K" connecting it with tank K and on these two suction lines are positioned valves E and E.

L is discharge line from pump J to the heating tubes B and L is the discharge line from pump J to tank K M is the suction line to pump J. N is the drawofi' from the bottom of tank K, a similar one being positioned on the bottom of tank K.

P are-the vapor lines from tanks K K v and K leading to a reflux air condenser Q. Q is a header on the lower end of the air 'condenser and Q, is a header on the upper end of this condenser which are connected 1 by the slanting tubes Q and out of the header Q extends vapor line P connecting with condensing .coils R positioned in the water cooling tank R and extending intothe top of tank S and extending out of the top of tank S is gas line S Q and Q are doors in the housing surrounding the tubes Q, of the reflux air condenser Q, these doors being for the purpose of controlling the 40 amount of air circulated around the tubes T-is a line extending from the end of the header Q, into the tank K with branch T extending to tank K.

W is a line [extending from the bottomof the-header Q} into the bottom of the suction line K or can be drained into the tankX. X X and X 'are supportsfor the different parts of the apparatus.

Yis a line entering the discharge pipe L through which steam or water or both are injected from any suitable source of supply..

Y being another line for a similar purpose. Z and Z are steam lines to pumps J and J Now describing the operation of the process, the material to be treatedis drawn from any suitable source. of supplythrough line M, through pump 'J, through line L into the-different parts of the apparatus until the proper amount of the material to be treated has been charged into the said apparatus, which amount should be .suflici'ent to fill the heatingtubes B, and tank K to overflow into tank K and tank K to overflow suction line K so that suction line K will always be covered'while pump J is in operation. Pump J is then shut down for the time being and pump J is ut into operation and by this means the 011 is circulated through discharge line L into and through the heating tubes 13 then through line K into and through tank 1C to overflow K into and through tank K and then to overflow suction K", into and through pump J and so on as above described. Fire is placed in the furnace A and maintained at a proper temperature, which temperature will range from 400 to 24.-00 F. The specific temperature that will .be used in any one case will depend on many things, such as the volume of oil treated in any given period of time also on the velocity at which the oil on the character of material being treated.

As the oil passes through the heating tubes B it is subjected 'to the proper heating and then is passed up through the oil contained in the tank K and the vapors liberated in this tank pass out through the vapor lines P while the oil overflows from tank K through overflow pipe K into tank K and the vapors liberated while the oil is passing through tank K pass up through the vapor line P into the header Q, through air cooled tubes Q and into header Q and from there through pressure valve D through condensing coils R into receiving tank S from which the distillate is drawn either continuously or intermittently through valve E, while the uncondensable gas is drawn off through line S. K is a tank similar in detail-to tank K and is so connected with the apparatusby meansof overflow pipei K and overflow suction pipe K and vapor lines P, that either or both of these tanks can be used 6 either be cut out and cleaned while the other "is in use and the apparatus maintained in operation. For instance tank'K can be cut out of the apparatus by the closing of the valves E, E, E and E which will cut out the tank K and by opening valves E, E, E and E will put in commission the tank K mnd the tank K can then be cleaned; and reversing Q and can be drawn oil" through line V into tank X by the closing of valve E and the opening of valve E or it may be returnedto the apparatus into, the bottom of suction line K by opening valve E and closing. E orthe distillate collected in Q is passed through the heating tubes B also water condensed along. with this distillate will be collected in header may be handled in the same Way. As the oil passes through tank K or tank K and I while the volume passing through this tank inany given space of time, is as great as the oil 'passed'through the heating tubes B in the same given time, 'yet the mass movement in the tank K or tank K will be so muchslower' that the oil will not be able to carry in suspension the amount of free carbon or other solids that it was able to carry in suspension while passing throughtheheating tubes B, and therefore this ex- -lation has been attained in either of these tanks, that particular tank can be cut out from the apparatusfas already described,

' outlow boiling point ends.

and the said tank be cleaned and then be put into operation and in the meantime the free carbon and other solids will accumulate in the other tank in the same manner. A fresh supply of raw material may be fed either continuously or intermittently into the apparatus through line M through pump J, through discharge line L into the bottom of tank K It Will be observed that the incoming charging stock passes into the tank K and then into either the tanks K or K th ereby absorbing some of the heat of the oil for the purpose of preheating the charging stock and perhaps also vaporizing Steam or water or both may be fed into the apparatus through line Y into discharge line L either continuously or intermittently.

The higher the velocity at which the oil is circulated through the heating tubes B, the higher'will be the. additional pressure on such oil while in said tubes over and above such pressure maintained on the rest of the Y apparatus, andin order to increase the pressure above that additional pressure that will be'created on the oil by the velocity that it is desired to maintain the oil at in the heating tubes, I have placeda pressure regulating valve on the discharge line of these tubes and marked it D. Y I

I twill be seen that my method herein described, permits ot the continuous treatment of petroleum wherein such petroleum is repeatedlysubjected to a heating Zone under a higher pressure thanis maintained elsewhere on. the apparatus, such heated oil repeatedly percolated up through a body of oil, repeatedly passed through a settling'tank,

and while passing througlr the latter two' places theoil freed of its vapor contents which pass up in a reflux condenser wherein the heavy vapors are condensed and auoil from the tomatically returned to the apparatus while the'remaining vapors pass on through the water cooled condenser and are collected sep arately, while the remaining unvaporizedoil and condensate from the reflux condenser are again subjected to further heat treatment. It will also be seen that by my herein described method the distillates from the reflux condenser-can be returned to the oil in the settling tank or=returned practically direct to the suction side of the circulation pump. It will further be seen that by my method herein described I can use either A water or steam or both in the heating tubes and such water condensed in the reflux condenser, trapped and withdrawn from the apparatus or automatically returned back to the heating tubes. It will also be seen by my herein described method that I can distill practically all the oil put into .the apparatus without withdrawing from the apparatus any substantial amount of liquid residue, but continue to feed fresh raw material into the apparatus and yet not plug my heating tubes with carbon. It will also be seen that by' my method herein described the grade of final distillate allowed to passfrom the process is definitely controlled by means of the reflux condenser.

The pressure that can be used on the apparatus will vary from atmospheric to 1,000

lbs. per square inch, but in all cases the pres sure on the oil while passing through the heating tubes will be more than the pressure maintained on the rest of the apparatus, and t where such rest of the apparatus is over the pressure of one atmosphere, then such pressure is reduced to-atmospheric pressure at D Itwill be understood, that the pressure maintained on the apparatus will be governed by the boiling point of the products produced, and the quantity produced, and the temperature to which the o-il is subjected in the heating tubes and whether heated in connection with water or steam or-bot-h, and these Will vary according to the raw material used, all of'which are of very considerable commercial value. In the method and apparatus here shown it will be noted'that the condensation of thefinal "product in the water condensing and receiving tank takes place at atmospheric pressure.

It will be understood that while I here-- less. "Charging the heating'tubes with gas nid continent field, having a gravity of about 32 to 34 Baum, afnd subjecting the same'to a heat of approximately 850 in the heating tubes and discharging the cracked oil therefrom to-K, a yield of 50% to 60% low boiling point distillate may be obtained; it being understood 8 that the system is maintained under a pressure of from 100 lbs. to 150 lbs. By redistillation of this condensate, about 50% low boiling point hydrocarbon oils having aboiling point of approximately 400 F. may

10 be obtained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim. is:

1. A process for cracking oil, comprising subjecting a stream of oil in a tube to a crackingtemperature under a pressure exceeding atmospheric, in discharging the oil into an enlarged zone, in stepping'down the pressure on the oil in said zone to a-pressure substantially lower than the pressure maintained on the oil stream but above atmosheric, in subjecting generated vapors to reux condensation, in returning reflux condensate to said enlarged zone, in introducing under an a plied prpssure reflux condensate and light unvaporized oil from theenlarg'ed zone to said tube to pass in a stream therethrough, in withdrawing during, the operation of the system' heavy carbon contalning residuum from the enlarged zone, and in 39 supplying charging stock to the system during operatlon.

2. A process for cracking oil, comprising passing a stream of oil in a'tube through a heating zone to'be heated to a cracking tem- F perature whilemaintaine'd under a superatmospheric pressure, in transferring the oil to an enlarged zone where a body of the oil is maintained, in stepping down the pressure on said oil body to a pressure substantially lower than the pressure maintained on the oil stream but above atmospheric, in sub sure exceeding atmospheric, in transferring the oil to an enlarged zone, in reducing the pressure maintained on the oil in said enlarged zone to a pressure substantially lower than the pressure maintained on the oil stream but above atmospheric, in subjecting generated .va ors to reflux condensation, in returning re ux condensate to the heating zone to pass in a stream therethrough, in discharging carbon, containing residual oil from the enlarged zone during the operation of the process Without again admitting the same to the stream of 01] passing through the heating zone, in supplying substantially continuouslycharging stock to the system, and in discharging uncondensed vapors after reflux condensation for final condensation and collection. V

4:. A rocess for crack ng hydrocarbon oil, conslsting in passing a streahnof oilthrough a heating coil to be, subjected to a cracking temperature while under a pressure exceeding atmospheric, in transferring I the oil to an enlarged zone where a body of above atmospheric, in subjecting generated vapors to reflux condensation, in retreating the .reflux condensate by passing the same through the heating coil, in. introducing charging stock to the system, and in discharging heavy carbon containing residuum from said enlarged zone during the conversion of oil therein without again admitting the same to the heating coil.

5. A process of oil conversion, comprising passing a stream of' oil through a tube in a heating zone to be subjected to a cracking temperature, in transferring the oil to an enlarged zonewhere a pool of oil is maintained, in subjecting vapors generated from the oil in said pool to reflux condensation, in withdrawing from said oil pool at one level unvaporized oil for repassage through the heating tube,.and in withdrawingfrom the oil pool at a lower level carbon containing residuum without again admitting the same to the heating tube, in forcing the first mentioned withdrawn oil with reflux condensate under an applied pressure through the heating tube, in continuously introducing charging stock to the system during the conversion of oil therein, and in maintaininga superatmospheric pressure on the oil undergoing conversion and on the vapors passing through the reflux condenser.

6. A process for converting oil, comprising passing a stream of oil through a tube in a heatingzone to be subjected to a cracking temperature, in transferring the oil to e an enlarged zone where VaPOllZiltlOll iflkes place, removing vapors from said zoneand subjecting them to reflux condensation, in returning reflux condensate after such condensation and also unvaporized light oil from the enlarged zone to the; heating tube for retreatment, in discharging carbon con" taining residual oilfrom said enlarged zone during the operation of the process, in introducing charging stock continuously to said system, and during the operation of the system maintaining the stream of oil in the heating tube and the oil in the enlarged zone under a pressure substantially above atmospheric while subjecting the vapors when undergoing reflux condensation to a pressuresubstantially lower than thepressure maintained on the oil streamlmt above atmospheric.

7. A process of oil conversion, comprising passing a stream, of Oil through a tube 1n a heating zoneto be sub ected to a cracking temperature, in transferring the oil to an- 'pheric pressure on the oil stream in said I tube and on the oil in said enlarged zone.

8. A process of oil conversion, comprising passing a stream of oil through a tube ina heating zone to be heated to a cracking temperature, in transferring the heated oil to an enlarged zone where a'pool of 011 is maintained, in subjecting oil vapors fromsa id pool to reflux condensation, 1n returning re- A flux condensate to the heating tube,in withdrawing light unvaporized oil from said oil pool, and in forcingthe. same through the heating tube under mechanical pressure, in withdrawing heavier carbon containing residual oil from the oil pool without again admitting the same to the heating tube, in introducing, charging stock to-sald system during the conversion of oil therein, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil in said heating tube and on the pool of oil in said enlarged zone.

9. A process forconverting oil, consisting in passing a stream ofoil through a heating zone to be subjected to a cracking temperature, in, maintaining a super-atmospheric pressure on said oil stream, in transferring. the heated oil to an enlarged zone, in stepping down the pressure maintained in said enlarged zone below still pressure but above atmospheric, in subjecting generated vapors t0, reflux condensation, in returning reflux I condensate to the oil stream to pass with the I oil in said stream under an applied mechanical pressure to the inlet of the heating zone, in continuously supplying charging stock to the system, in withdrawing heavy carbon containing residual oil from the enlarged zone during conversion of the oil therein without admitting the same to the heating zone, and in subjecting vapors after reflux condensation to final condensation.

10. The process for cracking oil, consist ing in passing a stream. of oil' through a heating zone where said oil is subjectedto a cracking tem erature, in passingthe heated oil to anven-arged chamber, in removing vapors generated from said oil and subjecting them to reflux condensation where the heavier vapors are condensed and returned tothe heating zone for retreatment, in supplying charging stockto the system, and

during the operation of the system maintaining the stream of oil in the heating zone and the oil in said enlarged zoneunder a pressure 'above atmospheric while maintain ing the oil vapors during reflux condensation under a pressure substantially lower than,the pressure maintained on the oil stream. I I

, 11. An oil conversion process, comprising heating a stream of oil passing through a I restricted tube to .a'cracking temperature, in

transferring the oil to an enlarged zone where conversion occurs and where a pool of 35 oil*is maintained, in subjecting generated" vapors toreflux condensation, in prevent ing the return of heavy carbon containing residual oil from said enlarged zone to the oilstream, in preheating charging stock by heat absorbed from the oil in the enlarged zone, in feeding a substantial portion of the preheated charging stock to saidtube in the heaiting'zone with reflux condensate obtained from the reflux condensation of said oil vapors, in discharging uncondensed vapors after such condensation, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil stream and on. the oil in the enlarged zone.

12. A process of oil conversion, comprising passing a stream of oil through a tube in a heating zone to be subjected to a cracking temperature, in transferringthe oil to an enlarged zone where a pool of oil is maintained, in subjecting vapors generated from said oil pool to reflux condensation, in returning reflux condensate to the enlarged zone containing said oil pool, in withdrawa ing light unvaporized oil and reflux condensate from said oil pool at one level, in

forcing said withdrawn oil and refluxcondensate through the heating tube under pressure, in withdrawing from the pool of oil at a lower level heavier carbon containing oil without again admitting the same to. the

heating tube, in introducing charging stock to the system during the conversion of oil therein, and in maintainin mospheric pressure on the oil in said tube I in the heating zone and on the pool of oil maintained in said enlarged zone.

13. An oil conversion process, consisting in passing a stream of oil through a heating :zone where said oil receives its crackin heat, in collecting the oil in a plurality of I serially communicating pools where conversion occurs, in subjecting vapors gen: erated from said converted oil to reflux condensation, in passing the reflux condensate through said heating zone .for retreatrnent;

a superatin discharging heavy carbon containing residuum continuously from said systemwithout. admitting the same to the oil. stream,

' in discharging uncondensed vapors after reflux condensation to a final condenser, and in maintaining a superatmospheric pressure on the oil in said stream and on' said en- -larged oil body undergoing conversion while subjecting the. vapors undergoing reflux condensation to a pressure substantially I lower than the pressure maintained on the 'oil to an enlarged zonewhere conversion occurs, in subjecting vapors generated from said oil to reflux condensation where the heavier vapors .are condensed andreturned for passage in .the oil stream through the l heating zone 'for retreatment, in continuously supplying charging stock to said system, in withdrawing heavy carbon containing residual oil from the system without again admitting the sameto the oil-stream and during the operation of the system maintaining the stream of oil in the heating zone and the oil in said enlarged zone under a pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric, while subjecting the oil vaporsundergoing refluxcondensation to a pressure above atmospheric but substantially lower than the pressure maintained on the oil stream;

15. A process for cracking oil consisting in passing a stream of oil, through a heating zone Where the oil is heated to a cracking temperature, in delivering the highly heated hydrocarbon to an enlarged zone, in subjecting vaporsproduced from the oil to reflux condensation, in returning reflux condensate tothe heating zone for 'retreatment While preventing the return of heavy carbon containing residual oil "thereto and durin the operation maintaining the stream of oi in the heating zone and the 'oil in the enlarged chamber under avpressure substan tial y above atmospheric, the 'oil vapors. during reflux condensation under a substantially lowerpressure than while maintaining the pressure maintained on-the oil stream,

but above atmospheric.

CARBON P. DUBBS. 

